OpenEMR Appliance Help and Tips

1. HowTo: Auto-start the VMPlayer in Windows.
   • Make a shortcut for the Virtual-Appliance.vmx file on the desktop.
   • RightClick on the Desktop-Shortcut, choose: Open with...
   • Choose as default program VMPlayer.
   • This connection with VMPlayer has only once to be made. Windows will remember this choice.
   • Choose VMPlayer from already installed programs => SAVE
   • Now Double Click Shortcut. VMPlayer will start. If finished you can use the Browser of your choice with the suggested defaults.
   • Be sure to make a static IP address (See Appliance manual), to login with a Browser-homepage startup. (https://....)
   • If confronted with a blank-screen in VMPlayer: Click with mouse in VMPlayer and hit CTR-key.
   • To leave the VMPlayer and go back to Windows OS, hit CTR+ALT
   • If Shortcut is entered in Start menu in Windows, the part of DoubleClick the Shortcut can be omitted and VMPlayer is ready to use after complete startup.
   • Put the shortcut in C:/Documents and Settings/USER/Start Menu/Programs/Startup this will automatically starts the VMPlayer when the account loads.
     
     
2. Back up the easy way.
   • Make a full copy of the Directory of Virtual machine to portable harddisk or USB-stick with sufficient memory. (8G should be enough for starters with a local (PC) machine)
   • Just Copy Virtual Appliance folder to the external HD or USB.
   • In need for restore: Copy the Folder of the Vitual Appliance machine back to the HD on local (PC) machine.
     
     
3. For effective work in VMPlayer Appliance (Your own Ubuntu work environment, within Windows or other OS)
   • Be sure to do an update for Ubuntu database first: sudo apt-get update , do this within the VMPlayer with Login and Password.
   • This makes the database for Ubuntu programs ready for installing different Ubuntu programs.
     
     
4. Improve read/change Ubuntu text-files. Use the latest vim-program in OpenEMR Appliance.
   • Install the full vim with sudo apt-get install vim. (the older vim included does not do syntax coloring)
   • To end vim viewing files, use .... :!q .... to go back for more cursor input and NOT saving corrections/mistakes made.
   • Use .... vim --help .... to see more options for use of vim file text editor.
     
     
5. How to Patch the Appliance OpenEMR machine
   • Login the VMPayer Machine with Login and Password
   • Go to the OpenEMR directory: cd /var/www/openemr
   • First ensure you have 'unzip' installed: sudo apt-get install unzip
   • Type ls -a to see if the Patch of choice is available as file, if not, continue with following steps.
   • Download the Patch with command: sudo wget http://www.open-emr.org/patch/4-1-1-Patch4.zip
   • Next unzip the donwloaded file: sudo unzip 4-1-1-Patch-4.zip
   • Make sure the file is in your openemr directory, do again: ls -a, this should be the same directory as where you can find the file sql_patch.php
   • Open the your Browser and surf to: https://192.168.1.XXX/openemr/sql_patch.php
   • Have patience, Browser, Appliance machine, VMPlayer and your computer will do the work as can be seen with the blinking of the harddisk, while executing the command.
   • Make your Browser go to Login page: https://192.168.1.xxx/openemr, and your Patch should be available.
     
     
6. A User Manual can be found at: http://www.bradymd.com/appliance/documentation.shtml